News

Think Twice Before You Pass That School Bus

Tue, 09/10/2019

California Highway Patrol officers will be hopping aboard school buses in San Bernardino to catch drivers who illegally pass the vehicles on the road, the Associated Press reports. Violators could face fines of up to $1,000, plus a point on his or her driving record.

California Vehicle Code 22454 (a) prohibits a driver from passing a stopped school bus when its stop sign arm is extended or when the bus is flashing its lights. There are a few exceptions, such as when a vehicle is approaching from the opposite direction on a multi-lane highway.

Students are 70 times safer taking a school bus than a personal vehicle to school in part because of stringent safety regulations, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The agency estimates that around 134 people die in school-related crashes each year and that just 8% of those are on school buses.